The SUFC Inter-City Tournament provided a truly immersive experience that went well beyond just football, offering a wide range of exciting attractions and activities for attendees of all ages.
Tournament Highlights
Teams from Pune made a remarkable impact at the inaugural SUFC Inter-City Tournament, clinching four out of the five titles across various age categories. Held at South United Football Club’s (SUFC) state-of-the-art facility in Ulsoor, Bengaluru, the competition brought together young footballers from SUFC’s Bengaluru and Pune centres, who competed fiercely in a series of exciting matches. The event not only showcased the skills of the players but also highlighted the strength of the Academy’s programmes across both cities.
The Pune teams proved their dominance by emerging victorious in four categories: Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, and Under-15. While Pune’s teams dominated the majority of the age categories, the Under-17 title was claimed by SUFC Pillars from Bengaluru, marking a competitive and well-balanced contest. Their exceptional performances on the field were complemented by outstanding individual achievements, with Pune players securing the majority of the tournament’s personal awards. These individual accolades further demonstrated the depth of aptitude and dedication within the Pune centres.
The tournament saw over 250 young footballers participating from both cities, making it a significant event in the grassroots football scene. It underscored SUFC’s pivotal role in nurturing and promoting football at the grassroots level, providing a platform for young players to showcase their skills and compete at a high level. The event also fostered a sense of community and healthy competition between the two SUFC centres, creating valuable opportunities for learning and growth.
List of Individual Award Winners:
Under-9
- Best Goalkeeper: Agastya Suresh (Bengaluru)
- Best Player: Ekam Singh (Pune)
- Emerging Players: Austin Loriggio (Bengaluru), Norah Gupta (Pune)
- Emerging Coaches: Riyan Yadgiri (Pune), Naveen Kumar (Bengaluru)
Under-11
- Best Goalkeeper: Arhatva Dongre (Pune)
- Best Player: Avyukt Nandi (Pune)
- Emerging Players: Kabir Dhoot (Pune), Shanaya (Bengaluru)
- Emerging Coaches: Pratiksha Devang (Pune), Umashankar (Bengaluru)
Under-13
- Best Goalkeeper: Diyan Goyal (Pune)
- Best Player: Jayden Joseph (Bengaluru)
- Emerging Player: Deliza Unwala (Bengaluru)
- Emerging Coaches: Prabuddha Gaikwad (Pune), Aditi P. Jadhav (Bengaluru)
Under-15
- Best Goalkeeper: Siddharth Gupta (Bengaluru)
- Best Player: Arpit Mishra (Pune)
- Emerging Coaches: Mohsin Abdulla Tamboli (Pune), Siddharth Mishra (Bengaluru)
Under-17
- Best Player: Harshith S.V (Bengaluru)
Terry Phelan, Sporting Director of South United Football Club (SUFC), shared his thoughts on the initiative behind the tournament, saying, “The thought process around this tournament was to bring all our teams to Bengaluru and provide them with an experience of such an Inter-City tournament. I believe that the players, coaches, and parents had fun here, which has been our commitment. We are trying to grow the game at the grassroots level and help players progress in the game. Our growth over the last few years has been immense, and we are now even building a residential academy in the heart of Bangalore. It’s been absolutely brilliant to see and be part of it.”
In addition to the competitive aspect, the tournament provided the young participants with memorable experiences, including a meet-and-greet with Terry Phelan and interactions with the club’s senior team players.
The excitement continued as the participants attended an Indian Super League (ISL) match between Bengaluru FC and Mohammedan SC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on January 11, adding an extra thrill to the weekend.
Terry concluded, “I believe the last two days have been truly memorable for both the teams and the staff. The thing that stands out the most is that it has been both enjoyable and a valuable learning experience.”
It is to be noted that SUFC’s collaboration with a few reputed partners helped immensely to make this inter-city football tournament a huge success. Top partners include Puma India, Grill N Chill, Prose Edu, Hosmat Hospitals, Forza Football, Healthy Platters, and Reverentia Jehovae Est Caput Sapientiae Integritas Et Veritas.
For more information about South United Football Club, you can email us on info@sufcindia.com or call +91 82961 71556.
